Since the beginning of time, people have developed and honed their ability to communicate with each other in written form. Those early pictures and symbols etched in stone developed into a readable alphabet which later turned into writing on early forms of paper. Now, people have many ways to communicate. Whether it be via a postal service or by email, mail is often one of the main ways people stay connected with the outside world.

There are, however, some notable advantages to sending and receiving a hand-delivered piece of mail.

Time-Honored Tradition

Receiving the mail on a daily basis has often been the highlight of the day for many since the days even before the Pony Express. Maybe it is the anticipation of hearing from a loved one, or sometimes, it may be the waiting to receive something mail-ordered. It may be the anticipation of a much-anticipated business correspondence. Then there’s always the possibility of a surprise in the mail.

For whatever reason, everyone remembers to check the mail every day, except for Sunday.

Personalized Mail

Another added bonus to receiving mail is when someone takes the time to use signature letterhead and personalized stamps. Whether the mail is for business or personal use, the extra effort does not go unnoticed. It shows that the sender is conscientious enough to spend a little extra time to make their mail noticeable.

Personal envelopes and stamps will also make correspondence more likely to be read and not tossed into the ubiquitous mail pile.

The Perception Of Receiving Snail Mail

There is an inherent sense of excitement experienced when someone receives personal mail delivered to their home or office. It means that someone cares enough to take the time to not only find the perfect paper, envelope, and stamps, but they also took the time to compose a meaningful letter without the aid of spellcheck or a delete option.

Handwriting a personal or business letter takes a great deal of thought and planning and the sentiment usually comes from the heart. In the business world, a handwritten letter is usually coming from someone who either is sending a heartfelt thank-you, or from an individual who would sincerely like to establish a mutually beneficial business relationship. The intended sentiment will always be felt more when delivered via a conventional mail method.

Business Mail Advantage

In most business environments, mail is received either via email or by hand-delivered mail. There is usually someone who sorts and prioritizes all the mail. Emails can be deleted in a nanosecond or may never even be seen because they land in the spam folder. Mail, especially personalized mail, delivered in envelopes or boxes, will almost always be read in its entirety and passed along to an appropriate party allowing it much more exposure than some of the more current email options.

Marketing Options

Many companies today are learning that utilizing email as their main source of marketing might not be the best approach to reach their audience. On industry average, only 20% of emails are actually opened leaving a lot of marketing expense wasted. Today’s trending companies are using a combination of methods including standard mail to fulfill their marketing needs.

Snail Mail Can Be Saved Forever

Unlike emails which can be accidentally or purposely deleted and lost forever, regular mail can be saved for as long as the receives wants to keep them. Often, personal mail can have a significant sentimental value. Some people even have a system in place to store the treasured letters that they have received over the years. Business correspondence can also be saved and filed for much easier acquisition than by searching through old email folders for retrieval, if needed, for reference in the future.

Basically, personalized, hand-delivered mail will get noticed more than other forms of communication. What has been cherished on a personal level for many years is now being realized in the business world. Snail mail will not only get the receiver’s attention, it will also let them know that the sender is willing to go that extra step to either establish or maintain a business relationship.